Folded Space today announced the development of its MFE encoding software for the next generation of performance from Blu-ray discs for movie content created in popular ultra-wide CinemaScope® formats. Folded Space‘s software employs proprietary algorithms to generate and store additional resolution which is hidden within the black bars above and below the letterboxed image of the movie. This new encoding approach allows Blu-ray players and similar HD devices with Folded Space decoding algorithms to play MFE content in three additional resolution modes with no black letterbox bars. These formats include anamorphic 1920 x 1080 for anamorphic projections systems; enhanced 2560 x 1080 for emergent, higher resolution 21:9 displays; and a “full screen” mode where full HD resolution content is modified to fit standard 16:9 HDTVs. In all cases, the decoded content provides a true 33% increase in actual resolution while the enhanced 2560 mode extends this increase to approximately 50% using new estimation algorithms. MFE content is playable on existing devices providing a high quality letterbox version of the movie without requiring the decoding algorithms.

“The simple fact is that no CinemaScope movies are available in true 1920 x 1080 HD resolution from Blu-ray discs or any other consumer media today,” commented Gordon Shackelford, VP Business Development at Folded Space. “The presence of those letterbox bars you see above and below some of the most important films, including 70% of all major motion pictures, means you’re only getting around 810 horizontal lines of resolution instead of 1080. MFE solves this by offering full 1080 resolution in three additional presentation modes depending on how you prefer to watch your movie on either current 16:9 or new 21:9 displays. And since it is backward compatible, you can buy and use MFE Blu-rays today in the standard letterbox mode until you are ready to purchase newer MFE capable components. There´s nothing more exciting than having 2.35:1 movies represent the largest, most detailed and immersive video images in our homes.”

MFE Blu-ray discs must be produced from higher resolution movie content owned by the respective studios. Folded Space is currently promoting sales of its encoding software for royalty-free content generation by studios and is interfacing with the Blu-ray community in order to rapidly promote MFE Blu-ray discs of both new releases and re-releases by the end of 2012. Meanwhile, development of player and similar devices with licensed Folded Space decoding features is evolving in parallel to provide availability of such devices as soon as possible.

Blu-ray Disc® is a registered trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

CinemaScope® is a registered trademark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

About Folded Space

Folded Space develops and commercializes the MFE family of intellectual properties dedicated to providing and preserving the highest performance presentation of major motion pictures in the ultra wide screen aspect ratio of approximately 2.35:1. Folded Space is a new division of Panamorph Inc., which is the world’s leading manufacturer of digital projection anamorphic lenses for home cinema. For further information please visit http://www.Folded-Space.com.